Many types of vertebral prostheses have been proposed and patented for implantation in the vertebral disc space after surgical removal of a diseased or damaged disc. Such devices fall into three broad categories. One category of prostheses includes the use of pliable synthetic materials in an attempt to mimic the compressibility of the human spinal disc. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,171,281 (Parsons) discusses a disc spacer which purports to possess mechanical properties akin to those of the normal disc by varying the hardness of the elastomeric material in its nucleus and annulus. U.S. Pat. No. 5,192,326 (Bao) illustrates a prosthetic disc formed from a multiplicity of hydrogel beads having a water content of at least 30%. According to the patent, a semi-permeable membrane covers the beads and is said to permit fluids to flow in and out of the prosthetic nucleus. U.S. Pat. No. 5,071,437 (Steffee) proposes another approach to a pliable